Freeze-frame
by rollingcows
Summary: Little insights into the lives of Shikamaru and/or Temari. Most vehemently ShikaTema. Please feel free to suggest ideas for future chapters!
1. Shogi

Shikamaru was very much used to mowing people over in shogi. He couldn't help it. No one could outmaneuver his maneuvers or out-see what he saw in the little pieces on the board. 200 moves _was_ a little exaggerated, but he still saw way ahead of others, he had moves within moves and moves hidden until it was too late at his disposal. Shikaku was the one who had first taught his three-year-old self to arrange the pieces on the board. Shikaku was also the only one who could keep Shikamaru on his toes constantly.

Or at least that was what Shikamaru thought.

_Did she just…?_

Shikamaru's brows furrowed. His opponent set the piece firmly on the board and leaned back, teal eyes calmly burning into his face, scrutinising it for a sign, any sign. She saw him tense ever so slightly at her move. She was on the right track.

_She_ _was on the right track_, Shikamaru mused, tilting his head slowly to look at the shogi board. It wasn't every day he had to rethink his entire strategy in a game. With his father, the highest record had been 17 times. While she wasn't anywhere near that number yet, she was proving to be a formidable opponent. Hands down the best he'd faced so far. Temari was unpredictable in her own ways. Who knew what she was capable of? It wouldn't surprise him if she beat him one day.

* * *

"Checkmate."

Shikamaru won the game. But it had not been an easy victory. He felt a slight throb in his head from an hour of thinking and sighed. _He would need a good long nap after this_. He looked back at all his moves and marveled at all the extra twists and turns he'd been pushed into by Temari. She was good, and unwisely underestimated by most. It was lucky that Suna and Konoha were now allies for the foreseeable future. He wouldn't want to have to clash wits with her on from the other side of the battlefield. It would be too much trouble.

Besides, he liked playing shogi with her.


	2. Routine - Months

_A/N: This was originally meant to be part of another series but then I thought, hey, might as well put it in here so yeah, Routine is going to be a three chapter thing in here? Please excuse my weird logic and I'm sorry if there's any confusion caused ._._

* * *

**_Months_**

June was the time where she would arrive from Suna, brushing dust off her fan at the gates of Konoha. He would always be slouching in an inconspicuous corner, half hidden, half asleep and waiting. When her chakra signature appeared near the gates, he'd peel himself off the wall and amble in her general direction.

"Hey lazy." She would raise her eyebrows in greeting and steadily traipse past him towards the town centre.

"Sup woman." He would match his pace with hers, becoming her second shadow as she went about her obligatory errands and received her instructions for the month.

August was the time for Chuunin exam preparations. Every morning, she would open her door to see him yawning outside in the cool air. They took turns to pay for coffee in a small little café they always frequented. He would calmly offer his opinion during meetings. She would slash her way through with words. When proposal writing got dangerously tedious, they would get out of the stuffy building for dango and fresh air.

October was the time of brief peace after the Chuunin exam and before the mad rush of organizing the annual general meeting between the Kages. With his help, she would bulldoze through the paperwork she was still required to do and they'd spend the rest of the day playing shogi. He would win all the earlier matches before allowing her to win one. She would be miffed at the perceived insult and proceed to fling a teacup at his head. He would appear with fruits she had never seen before and they would munch away while they debated half seriously on current affairs. When it rained, she would stand as close as she could without getting drenched and put out her hand, feeling the large droplets of moisture crash down clumsily on her skin. He would just scrutinise the kimono-clad form, amused at the surprising display of childishness.

December was when he sent her off at the Konoha gates where he had first sensed her chakra signature six months ago.

"Don't die." He would mumble, hands in his pockets.

"You too." She would reply nonchalantly, a hand raised in farewell as she trotted off into the surrounding forest.

He would remain standing there with his head down, feeling her chakra signature fading away by the minute. She would sense his unmoving chakra signature from a distance and know that he was looking out for her. When neither could feel the other's chakra signature anymore, he would yawn and go home; she would pick up the pace and hurry back to Suna. Both of them would be awaiting the arrival of the next June, when she would appear at Konoha's gates and restart their routine once again.


End file.
